How to Leverage Training (Pt. 1): Make It a Whole Team Activity
Written by Jerry Roberts. Follow me on Twitter.
Communication, Innovation, Leadership, Motivation

Question: Are you always happy with the results from your training investment? if you could multiply the benefits of training, easily and in a way that produces greater value for all involved, would you?
That’s what I’m going to give you in this post. A way to ensure maximum involvement, focus, and better outcomes — the kind of outcomes you’d be happy to write a check for.
Our story
We recently closed our company for a full day — mid-week — so that each member of our team could attend a leadership teleconference; 10 world class speakers and thought leaders, who deliver exceptional value that touches attendees in many ways.
For a small company this is no small undertaking. It would mean that work would pile up that had to be done the next day, and no sales calls would be made. It was a zero revenue day, and we had projects with deadlines.
Our manager felt that it would be a good time for the whole team to have a shared learning experience. I trust her judgment and during the course I began to think of a way to not just leverage the training benefit, but to deepen the relationships between our members.
A successful event creates opportunities
Coming out of the training I knew that everyone had enjoyed the program and had taken good notes. I knew that people would be open to discussing what they had learned.
Since we gather almost every Monday and have a casual lunch together, I felt this would be a perfect time to share ideas. With bellies full and generally good spirits all around, people would be relaxed and ready to contribute.
We eat from Noon to 1:00 and then discuss the course, one speaker each week, from 1:00 to 2:00. We limit the discussion to an hour so people don’t get nervous about calls or e-mails that have to be returned, or other work.
Different interpretation can be risky
This was the first time we all shared training and then would discuss what it meant to each of us. That is exposing a side of the individual that is sometimes hidden, and there is a risk involved.
If I listened to the same presentation you did but didn’t glean the same points, that is an indicator of the differences in how we think and what we feel is important. If someone else hears the same content and is able to give sparkling commentary on it — and I can’t — then all of a sudden maybe I’m back in 8th grade geometry, wondering why I don’t get it. That can be uncomfortable so you have to set ground rules.
It’s important to establish that the sessions are for one purpose only, to find ways to implement what the group feels is important, and that was determined by their notes. There could be no wrong answers. All input was valuable.
Everybody has to be involved
I facilitate the sessions and guide the conversation, and it’s my role to make sure that everybody contributes. So far, the enthusiasm has been high and the discussion crisp. Good ideas are coming from our time together.
It’s certainly fun and stimulating to hear the same ideas expressed in different ways, and then to have all agree that we can implement them in our daily activities.
Leverage any training
This is a powerful method to build relationships and to generate new ideas, and it can work for any kind of training. Here are tips you can use to help your organization squeeze out greater value from your development dollars:
- Get the shared experience
At least once a year try to close down a department (or, if a small company, the whole operation) and send everyone (or almost everyone) to a training course. If you absolutely can’t do that for a full day, work with a trainer who will be flexible and offer two half-days, or train before or after normal business hours. Virtually every organization can do this if a sincere effort is made.
- Let them know in advance that a discussion will follow
In our case we didn’t do this because the idea came up during the course. If they know that the training will be discussed they’ll pay closer attention and focus on key talking points.
- Encourage people to take notes
You’d be surprised at the number of people who attend training and never mark up a single page in a workbook. A lot of managers NEVER ask what was learned. If they know they’ll need the notes, they’ll take good ones.
- Set the structure of the followup and give the reason
Whether it’s a one-time brainstorming or once a week for 10 weeks like ours, people need to know what’s ahead, and why. What will they be asked to do and how will this tie into the overall goals of the organization? How could it benefit them? Keep each session to an hour, two at the most.
- Everybody participates
There are no spectators, only active participants. You don’t need to rule with an iron fist. If someone is tongue-tied or has nothing to share, move on to the next and come back. Even the quietest folks will eventually contribute if they’re encouraged.
- Turn brainstorming into action
Ideas are meaningless unless you do something with them. Resolve to have an action plan coming out of each session, one that requires some sort of activity between the sessions.
- Have fun
Make food available, the healthier the better. I’m not sure the mind can come up with the best performance if the body is weighed down with junk food. And, even if it’s after hours, hold the alcohol.
- Measure results
Set a time to gauge the outcome of the entire program. That could be weeks or months later. Did you get the results you had hoped for? Did you spot any rising stars in the group who might be ready for added responsibility? Did everybody like the program and do they want to do another one?
This system works and is a low cost way to get a slew of fresh new ideas into your group, generate new activity, plus add some social benefits. We’re having a great time with it and hope you will, too.
Next: Early results from our shared training.
Let me know what you think.

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2 Comments
Susan Mazza
This is awesome Jerry. We retain so little of what we hear. If we don’t take the conscious time to explore what we heard we heard a bunch of stuff, but mostly leave with something that stuck to what we already know or kinda think already. But when we engage as you suggest we actually push the boundaries of our thinking - now that is when learning really occurs!.
Wonder if your staff knows how lucky they are. And for leaders and managers everywhere you set an example for being 100% responsible for your training investment. Sounds like you have ensured it pays off.
Paid off for me because you provide a great framework to share with others (especially the people I train!)
admin
@Susan — Thanks so much for your perspective on this. Since we all eat together every week it seemed a no-brainer.
I think we’ll end up with some nice breakthroughs from this series, but right now we’re just having fun with it.
You’re a trainer and you understand how easy it is to get emotionally involved with the people who bring us in. They have hopes, dreams, and needs, and we want to deliver for them. When our training — our product — isn’t used, it’s a letdown.
Convincing managers to do what we’re now going through has been a real challenge. I’m hoping to make a case study of our experience and give it to our clients.
And you hit it right on the head when you talk about ensuring it pays off. It’s the closest thing I’ve seen to “training insurance.”
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